Foot reflex massage is a rapidly growing practice in which stimulus to various organs and bodily functions is achieved through compression massage of localized areas of the feet. The practitioner applies selective finger pressure to localized areas or zones of the foot that correlate with certain areas of the body. For example, for treatment of a sinus condition, pressure points along the balls of the toes are treated by direct application of pressure to those areas.
The time required for treatment is usually quite long if done properly and is physically demanding on the treating practitioner. Treatment is also time consuming and expensive for the patient. A need therefore exists for a mechanical system by which reflex treatment may be effected without requiring constant attention or labor by a practitioner and that may be made available to the patient without requiring presence of a practitioner.
A partial solution is recognized in U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,663 to Fujiwara. Fujiwara discloses a foot sole massaging device consisting of a frame with a number of parallel rollers, each having a set of radial projections. The rollers are arranged on the frame on parallel horizontal rotational axes. The projections rotate against the foot in response to back and forth movement of the foot or feet against the rollers. The patient thus propels the machine by his or her own foot movement. Treatment will continue only as long as the patient is able to shuffle his or her feet back and forth across the rollers. The user must also physically control downward pressure of his or her feet against the rollers. The projections and rollers in the Fujiwara device are arranged so a group of the projections are formed in a domed configuration to conform with the arched configuration of the user's feet. However, the arch or dome configuration is stationary with respect to the frame, while the user's foot must move along the frame in order to operate the machine. There is only one location along the back and forth travel of the foot across the projections at which the arched projections conform to the arch of the foot.
An apparatus somewhat similar to the Fujiwara device is shown in West German Patent No. 3,215,226. This device makes use of rollers that in one form include projections similar to those of the Fujiwara reference. This device also makes use of stationary upright brushes for rubbing along the length of the user's feet as they are moved by the user back and forth across the rollers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,737 to Chapa discloses a powered foot massage device wherein rollers are moved along a working flight under the user's feet. The feet are held stationary while the rollers are moved lengthwise along a flat plane to massage the soles. Steam is generated by the unit and released under the feet being massaged by the moving rollers. Undoubtedly this device would produce a soothing effect. However, the rollers move lengthwise along the foot in a flat plane so there is little chance to gain the benefits of localized pressure applied for lasting periods of time and at specific reflex points along the feet.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,035,570 to Nelson discloses a foot massaging device that includes an oscillating flat platform and a rotating drum for massaging the feet. Again, while a soothing effect is most likely realized, no provisions are made for localized compression of reflex points for a therapeutic effect. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,003,372 to Willoby and 3,276,060 to D. F. Stokes, Jr., et al., both disclose combined foot washing and massaging devices. Stokes provides a powered set of rotatable brushes and an upwardly directed water spray that act against the feet to clean and massage. Willoby discloses a mat that can be secured to the floor of a shower or tub. The mat includes flexible upstanding ribs. The user stands on the mat and shuffles his or her feet across the ribs for a massaging and cleansing effect.
There still remains a need for a device that will effectively stimulate reflex points of the feet by automatically pressing a number of individual reflex massage pins in the linear motion against local reflex areas of the feet and toes so that the entire arch configuration of the feet and toes are provided with a localized reflex massage.